


sea travel-based separation

by Rustyanklebraclet



Series: Community episode rewrites [8]
Category: Community (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Episode Related, Episode: s05e04 Cooperative Polygraphy, Established Relationship, M/M, very light angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-25
Updated: 2020-08-25
Packaged: 2021-03-07 03:01:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 920
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26099830
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rustyanklebraclet/pseuds/Rustyanklebraclet
Summary: “I think you know what I’m going to say.”“I do. But I think you should say it anyway.”Troy takes a deep breath and rubs his thumb over the back of Abed’s hand.“I love you,” Troy says, instead.“You said that already,” Abed tells him, quietly. He doesn’t sound annoyed. Just sort of sad.“I know. I just want to make sure you remember it before the next part comes.”---Troy leaves.
Relationships: Troy Barnes/Abed Nadir
Series: Community episode rewrites [8]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1772773
Comments: 18
Kudos: 148





	sea travel-based separation

**Author's Note:**

> hmm. it is two thirty am and i have been up for seventeen hours. i probably should wait until the morning to proofread this properly but. thats ok.
> 
> if i were a good author i think i would connect this to one of my like six or so other fics where they get together pre-5.04, but i am not that person. readers choice, i guess. or you could just choose none and read it as its own thing. in the words of troy barnes, i'm not your boss.
> 
> benefit of me posting this while highly exhausted is that you dont get an overly long rambling a/n about my mental problems or something because im going to be in a coma in like fifteen minutes. kisses.

“On one condition.”

Troy frowns.

“You must first sail my boat, the childish tycoon, around the entire world”

The study group mutters, but Troy ignores them. Abed’s hand finds his under the table.

“When I was 23, my father asked me to do the same thing to earn my adulthood and fortune. Of course, I cheated and floated off the coast of Belize for a year doing coke with John Denver, but I always regretted it. I’d like to give you a chance to do what I never did. Become your own man.”

Abed’s grip tightens. The group protests, but Troy doesn’t hear any of them. Just shakes his head and pulls the machine off his hand, vaguely registering Annie calling his name as he leaves the room.

He ends up around the side of the library building. He sinks to the ground and rests his head on his knees. He hears the scuff of shoes on concrete, and doesn’t need to look up to know who it is.

“Hey,” Abed says.

“Hey.”

“Do you want to be alone, or can I sit?”

“No, you can sit.”

Abed slides down next to him. Troy takes his hand and rests his head on his shoulder, mostly so he doesn’t have to look him in the eye.

“I love you,” Troy says.

“I love you too,” Abed says.

“I think you know what I’m going to say.”

“I do. But I think you should say it anyway.”

Troy takes a deep breath and rubs his thumb over the back of Abed’s hand.

“I love you,” Troy says, instead.

“You said that already,” Abed tells him, quietly. He doesn’t sound annoyed. Just sort of sad.

“I know. I just want to make sure you remember it before the next part comes.”

“Do you want me to break up with you first?”

Troy pulls back, now, looking at Abed. “What? No.”

Abed shrugs. “It might help.”

Troy shakes his head, and takes another deep breath. “I have to do it.”

“I know you do. I’d probably break up with you anyways if you tried not to.”

“Really?”

Abed shrugs again. “If I thought it would make you go.”

Troy looks down at their joined hands. “it’s not about you.”

“I know that.”

“I’m not leaving you forever. Just for a while.”

“I know that.”

“I don’t think I’d be able to survive without seeing you ever again.”

Abed doesn’t respond.

“I just- I never really thought I’d say this, but Peirce is right. I need to be my own man. And, seriously, it’s not about you-”

“Troy.”

Troy stops and looks up at Abed, who places his other hand on the side of Troy’s face. He leans in and kisses him, and Troy’s eyes still flutter closed as his insides turn to mush like they did the first time. He doesn’t think he’ll ever get tired of kissing Abed.

Abed pulls back. “It’ll be alright.”

Troy almost believes him.

**\---**

They play hot lava. Troy realizes Abed isn’t playing. They clone each other. It’s fine (it isn’t, really, but Troy doesn’t have time to deal with that, which sort of bothers him more.).

They lay in bed the night before Troy has to leave. It’s late, they have to get up early. They should be asleep.

Troy smooths his thumb over the skin above Abed's eyebrow. He leans in and kisses him.

“We should probably go to sleep,” Abed says. Troy shrugs, but he’s lying on his side, so it’s more of an awkward shuffle.

“I can sleep on the boat,” Troy says, and kisses him again “I can't do this.”

Abed allows him to lean in again, before putting his hand on Troy’s shoulder. “Annie’s going to kill us if you’re tired tomorrow.”

Troy frowns, and Abed kisses him. A little bit because he feels bad. Mostly because he wants to,

“C’mere,” Abed says, putting his arms around Troy, who leans into the embrace.

“I love you,” Troy says.

Abed buries his nose in Troy's hair, and inhales.

**\---**

They all meet in the study room the morning Troy is set to leave. They talk quietly, fondly, nobody acknowledging it’s the last time they’re all going to be together, let alone together in this room, for a long time. Maybe forever.

“We should probably go outside,” Annie says, checking the clock. Annie, Shirley, and Britta file out but Jeff, god bless him, just smiles and tells them to take their time as he goes after the girls.

They’re standing at their places at the table, and Abed reaches over to pull Troy into his arms. Troy balls his hands in the back of Abed’s flannel, breathes him in like it’s his last chance. He tries not to think about how it sort of is.

Troy lifts his head and kisses him. They said their goodbyes last night, he's just dragging things out at this point.

Abed doesn't seem to mind.

“Ready to go?” Abed asks.

Troy nods. They’re almost at the door when Abed stops.

“Hold on. It was going to be a surprise, but I want to see your reaction. Open your bag.”

Troy frowns and unzips his backpack. Right on the top, there’s something he doesn’t remember packing. He pulls it out.

“This is your hoodie.”

“I know. It’s what I wore-”

“-When we first kissed.”

Abed nods, head ducking slightly as his cheeks flush.

“You’re such a fucking sap.”

Abed laughs. “Don’t tell anyone. You’ll ruin my suave reputation.”

Troy kisses him.

**Author's Note:**

> come talk to me on [Tumblr](https://readandwritesilver.tumblr.com/) or [Twitter](https://twitter.com/HOMINGPIGE0N) if you want
> 
> As always, any and all feedback is appreciated :)
> 
> Much love, Clover <3


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